Tuesday, March 27, 2012

standing still

We are enjoying this season of 'standing still'.  Man is not working, I'm not keeping house, the kids are not doing school.  At times it feels like we are not doing anything.  But that's not true.  We are making memories with family.

These are the times we will draw on when homesickness sets in.  Knowing that we have family and friends to come back to. 

We've been on Orcas Island in Puget Sound, just down from Canada.  Internet is iffy, as many things are on the island.  But, we've been blessed with outstanding weather by Washington standards.


Sunset from the ferry ride over.


Our crew with Cascade Lake in the background.





Hiking up Turtleback Mountain.


 The view from the top of Turtleback Mountain.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

hiking and birthdays, oh my

Trying to stay busy and keep some sense of normal.

We've had some nice weather here in the midwest.  Trees are in bud, a few flowers bloom.  Even honeybees are venturing out in optimism.









I really like this picture.  Spring - such hope.



A little baseball.


A little football. 


Man and Bis and The House of Blues



Man and his brother - the kid just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.


I did NOT skate.  I have fond memories of skating, of skating well in fact.  I have no wish to replace those memories with a broken hip.



And our Tom turned 14 yesterday.  It was a good day all around. 

Friday, March 9, 2012

what's it all for?

When people ask what we're doing with ourselves my response is usually that we are going to The Philippines to build a couple of schools and an orphanage. 
 
Why is it that the first words out of my mouth aren't that "we are going in obedience to Jesus".  It is the truth.  But I don't want to make people uncomfortable?  or look like a weirdo?  but we are already weird.
 
Around my right wrist these words are tattoed:
Love Came Down
The words are there to remind me everyday that God made a Plan, Jesus implemented the Plan, and the Holy Spirit in me allows me to comprehend that plan bit by bit. 
 
A post from my friend Kristen, already in the Islands with her family, re-iterated what I need to get my mind and mouth around.
 
To be reminded that this is all for the Gospel - the Message and the Messenger - that is timely and much needed.  I hear myself tell others that we are going to build schools, teach and serve.  To say "we are going to tell the Good News, the Best News, the only News Worth Telling!"  while it's true, it seems to slip to the back of my mouth. 
 
But I suspect that I need to get that right up front or I'll go a bit nuts with all of the poverty, messiness, uselessness I'm likely to see and feel.
 
There are teachers in the Philippines, and there are missionaries, they are not considered an unreached group of peoples.  Some of the people groups would be considered unreached - Muslim groups for example, and some least reached - The Ati people.  
 
We go to tell more people about Jesus, to show people Jesus, to encourage other believers, to disciple native Filipinos who are better able to reach their own than I will ever be.  To train up a generation of Filipino kids to be bold for Him.
 
And to teach English.  While that bit seems odd, it is true that English is the language of commerce, of science, of growth.  To break out of the cycle of poverty these kids need to know English 2nd, and Jesus 1st
 
If I forget my purpose according to God's perfect plan, I will be useless.  That is true wherever we are. 
 
Even in  the US our job is to point others to Him.  So I will practice the right response, even in discomfort.  And pray that by the time we are on the island I will have the Gospel Message on the tip of my tongue that I will not forget the Why, and the How.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

what to do with time

So here we are...homeless as the kids say.  Jobless.  How refreshing.

Bonding time - not that we aren't a tight family to begin with.  Filling our days with time together. 



Tom and Huck with friends?


or Washington crossing the Delaware?


Turtle Boy.   It was a chilly morning.


Tippy turtle.


Entrance to St. Louis Zoo.  This is a free zoo, there is no entrance fee!  and it's one of the world's top zoos.  Very cool.



This hog was just soooo cute!  I have a thing for ear hair.


Biz just loves those snakes.



 Band on the Run





The penguin area is freezing cold, go figure, and left me with a craving for sardines.


bench sleepers are a problem even at the zoo - but no ubiquitous brown paper bag


Me in my quiet place.



Handsome dude.  Note the frothy spit flying from betwixt his yellow teeth? nice


Such a cute caboose 



See the prairie dog checking out the cardinal?



Today we are going to the library and pretending to do school.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

journeys, they start not only with a step but with lots of luggage

We are no longer Texans (not that we could truly lay claim to that title...my hat's not big enough).

Brian headed for St. Louis earlier in the week, the boys and I followed on the train and have now arrived.  

This past week has been tough.  Much to do, crazy things going on, trying to find homes for our pets.

Molly our old girl has a loving new home in St. Louis with friends of our bro and sis in law.  

While in opening a new bank account a bank employee overheard of our plans and said she'd take a cat if we had one.  Well, we did and now he's hers.  At last check Butterscotch is the only child in a loving family and gets to sleep with his parents; they think his feistiness is adorable and don't mind the blood shed.

Riley had to be taken to a local shelter.  We pray that his new owners will find him there.  It broke my heart to not find him a home before we had to leave.  Trusting in God on this one. (and of course all the others, you know what I mean)

Our most awesomest friends, N and A, were lifesavers these past few weeks.  I am sure more folks would have helped us, but I just didn't have the energy to ask for help.

I learned a good lesson this past week.  When you know someone needs help, just go and help them, don't make them call on you.  God didn't just look down and say "hey, let me know if you want me to send some help", He just came, as Jesus and helped.  Paul didn't write and ask if folks wanted him to send help, he just sent Timothy, knowing they would need help.  My friend A gets this, she just shows up.  And that's what we needed these past few weeks.

So if you need help I may just show up and insist.  I've been there, now I get it.  To ask is sometimes just too big a task.

Here are some pics of our train trip.


EQ watching a movie.


The crew on the upper level observation deck.


Scouting for zebra.


or maybe gazelle?


#1 - he will miss his Texan and Oregonian friends.


Just the carry on luggage.


Our mountain of luggage.  You can't see it all.  EQ trying to sleep.  Our train got in an hour early, at 6:10am this morning.  We are wupped.

More later!